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Communications · Journalism Rank #83 of 178

Journalismat Lehigh University

Graduates earn $45,256/yr in their first year — about 31.0% above the national Journalism average. Base-case 10-year earnings $505K; scenarios range from $470K to $507K depending on AI disruption.

Bethlehem, PA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
34 AT RISK
35
Optimistic
28
Pessimistic
Earnings
$45,256
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$505K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
61% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Lehigh University

Lehigh’s strong earnings signal that its graduates often leverage their journalism degree into lucrative communications-adjacent fields. The university’s overall reputation and robust alumni network, especially in business and engineering, create a powerful launchpad. You’re not just competing for local news jobs in the Lehigh Valley; you’re plugged into the high-paying corporate communications, public relations, and marketing ecosystems of nearby New York and Philadelphia. Employers in finance, tech, and healthcare value the sharp writing and critical thinking skills honed in a rigorous liberal arts environment, often hiring graduates for roles that blend storytelling with business strategy. Your key to unlocking this potential is to actively network outside the journalism department. Seek internships and connect with alumni in the corporate world to see how your communication skills can solve their business problems, not just report on them.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$470K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score28/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$505K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score34/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$507K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Lehigh University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Journalism graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Communications teachers, postsecondary
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 2,700 openings/yr
$77,800/yr
Moderate
2
Editors
+0.6% 10-yr growth · 9,800 openings/yr
$75,260/yr
High
3
Writers and authors
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 13,400 openings/yr
$72,270/yr
Very High
4
Film and video editors
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 3,600 openings/yr
$70,980/yr
High
5
News analysts, reporters, and journalists
-3.9% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$60,280/yr
High
6
Proofreaders and copy markers
-0.6% 10-yr growth · 1,900 openings/yr
$49,210/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Journalism

How Lehigh University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
George Washington University
DC · Private nonprofit
44
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
2.1x
ROI
Northeastern University
MA · Private nonprofit
35
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Northwestern University
IL · Private nonprofit
39
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.7x
ROI
Top score
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
56
DW Score
$49K
1-yr earn
14.3x
ROI
University of Maryland-College Park
MD · Public
55
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
14.3x
ROI
Also at Lehigh University

Other top programs at Lehigh University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Lehigh University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Journalism at Lehigh University

How does Lehigh University's Journalism program score?

This program scores 34/100 — on the lower end for Journalism. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Journalism to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Journalism careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 64% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.